Marcus Terentius Varro was born in or near Reate, now known as Rieti in the Lazio region of Italy. He entered a family thought to be of equestrian rank, which provided him with social standing and resources for education. Varro remained close to his roots throughout his life, owning a large farm in the Reatine plain until his old age. This property was located near Lago di Ripasottile, where he spent much of his time managing agricultural affairs.
His political career began with service as tribune of the people, followed by roles as quaestor and curule aedile. Eventually he reached the office of praetor while supporting Pompey during the turbulent years leading up to the First Triumvirate. The formation of that coalition in 60 BC likely cost Varro any chance of rising to consulship. He openly ridiculed the three-man alliance in a work called the Three-Headed Monster, written in Greek according to Appian's account.
Varro participated in Caesar's great agrarian scheme of 59 BC, serving on a commission of twenty tasked with resettling Capua and Campania. His early political activities show a man deeply engaged in public affairs before the civil wars would force him into military command.
Civil War And Library Loss
During Caesar's civil war spanning from 49 to 45 BC, Marcus Terentius Varro commanded one of Pompey's armies in the Ilerda campaign of 49 BC. After backing the losing side, he escaped penalties through two pardons granted by Julius Caesar, both before and after the Battle of Pharsalus in 48 BC. These clemencies allowed him to continue his life despite having fought against Rome's future dictator.
Julius Caesar appointed Varro to oversee the public library of Rome in 47 BC, placing him in charge of preserving knowledge for the state. However, following Caesar's death, Mark Antony proscribed Varro, resulting in significant property loss including his entire library. This event destroyed much of his personal collection and scattered valuable texts that might have survived otherwise.
As the Republic gave way to the Empire, Varro gained favor under Augustus. Under this emperor's protection, he found security and quiet to devote himself fully to study and writing. The transition from political turmoil to imperial stability allowed him to focus on his scholarly pursuits during his final decades.